Germany break record with 13-0 rout of San Marino

SERRAVALLE, San Marino, Sep 6 (Reuters) Germany crushed San Marino with a record 13-0 win today, striker Lukas Podolski scoring four in a Euro 2008 Group D qualifier.

The victory is a record in a European Championship qualifying match -- bettering Spain's 12-1 victory over Malta in December, 1983.

Joachim Loew's side were 6-0 up by the interval against hopeless opposition and never eased up as they humiliated their mostly amateur opponents.

Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose and Thomas Hitzlsperger all scored two goals each with Michael Ballack, Arne Friedrich and Bernd Schneider (penalty) also on target.

Germany's all-time record win is a 16-0 victory over Russia in the 1912 Olympics.

The result is the worst in San Marino's history.

REUTERS DH PM0239